The Darkest Secrets
by Hunter of Artemis101
Summary: "I had never thought about dying, until it happened." Trapped in a strange world for the death with demons and spirits, this wasn't exactly how Gwen wanted to spend the rest of her Summer. Gwen doesn't know what to do, then she meets the cocky, polite Arthur who somehow makes the Cold World bearable. "I would strangle him, but then again, he's already dead." Original Story. R&R.
1. Dead?

**Chapter One:**

I had never thought about death.

I had never taken spare time to think about how I died. Until it happened. That pain, the burning flames that hit my body, igniting it on fire. It seemed endless when it was happening. I begged myself to keep holding on. To make it through. I never knew what had killed me, all that I had felt was a sharp stabbing sensation to my back. Then, water was everywhere. Nonetheless, all that flickered through my mind was the flashes of consistent red. I felt like screaming, but when I tried to even attempt to open my mouth, nothing happened. So instead, the mental screams of agony that raged on.

And on.

I figured it would keep going on forever.

But the horrifying thing was, I knew I was dying. Or at least in a coma or something unfortunate along those dreary lines. I tried my best during the moments of pain, the screams of agony that echoed through my mind to remind myself that it would be over soon, all that burning and endless misery. All those faces of whom I cared about flashed through my mind, it went on for what seemed like forever. Until their faces faded and one moment they flickered off. As if my brain had been turned off, into an automatic shut down.

I needed something to grasp onto. I promised myself I wouldn't stop hanging on. But how could I keep hanging on, if there was nothing to grasp onto?

I swam through the dark waters. Every stroke I made trying to get to the top, pushed a pressure down on me and made me sink deeper into the darkness. I franticly waved my arms, pushing, pushing, trying to get the top, away from the darkness that seemed to be calling me in. Trying to lure me in. But I promised myself I would never let go. My fingertips brushed the icy water that seemed to be shooting up my body, making it numb. The deeper it got, the colder it got. The deeper it got the darker it got. Not anything inviting.

A few days, weeks, maybe even months. (I had lost count a very, long time ago) The pain was gone, replaced by the numbness. I was in complete utter darkness, the water full of evil. Or so it had seemed like from my perspective.

What was the point of trying if there was no hope; all the hope was lost in the darkness and the numbness. I opened my mouth and let out a scream of terror as the cold took hold of me and pushed me into the black murky waters.

Then, it was all darkness.

I woke my head throbbing, but my eyes were still tightly shut. It was a peculiar feeling, to wake up only to realize that your eyelids were still closed.

Thump.

My head thumped. Though surprisingly there was no pain at all. Just a numbness.

The water?

Am I alive?

Thump.

All these thoughts ran through my mind, making me disoriented and frustrated.

Making my head thump even more. I was terrified to open my eyes, in premonition of fear that I would be in that vivid, ice water.

I opened my eyelids slowly, carefully, and hesitantly almost as if a knife would fall on them if I didn't. I gasped in surprise. I felt cold, a freezing feeling shot up her spine. I inhaled sharply again.

I was on my back staring up at the starry night. They taunted me, as if saying that they were warm and I wasn't.

I sat up in anger.

Thump.

Shrugging the thumping of my head off, trying not to worry about it. Why should I care about that, when I didn't know where I was?

I took a breath in, covering my hand over my mouth, realizing I didn't know who I even was. Who was I? I flopped back down putting my head in my hands. I waited for the tears to come, but they didn't begin to cascade my cheeks.

Was crying even a real thing, or earth? I couldn't remember, which made my head thump even more.

"Hey," I heard a voice say, searching through my mind trying to remember if this male voice was familiar.

I didn't recognize the voice, but then again I didn't recognize myself.

I stood up jolting back. The boy looked around fifteen. "Relax, I know you're confused. It'll be okay." Those words. They comforted my subconscious and conscious mind.

It'll be okay.

I choked back a sob and managed to get a reply, through my hoarse throat.

"Who am I?" He smiled in sympathy, it was friendly but depressing in a way.

"Yeah I know, but you'll get used to it." Get used to it? Get used to what exactly?

I rather didn't want to get used to this. I wanted to go home. Home. I remembered a flash of a warm, cozy house. I would do anything to feel that warmth. I craved it more than anything, I had ever wanted before. Even if I couldn't have it that was still evidence that I could remember a little. Little pieces at a time.

Soon, hopefully, I'd complete the puzzle of who I was.

"I-I'm scared," I whimpered quietly. I felt like a total child, but at the moment I could care less. He chuckled a sorrowful laugh.

"I'll explain everything soon, but can I show you were you can stay?" Stay? I didn't want to stay anywhere. I wanted to stay at home.

I took a breath, but it was cut off by a sob. I choked it down, and breathed out again. I made an abrupt decision to go with him. I didn't know who I was, but maybe he could lead me to home. And tell me who I was.

But something about his expression didn't give me hope, about him telling me who I was, or to take me back home. But I guess he could explain what was going on.

"Fine," I grumbled, trying to swallow back my fear and sadness. He sighed, as if expecting this and gestured me to stand up, leaving the tree and approaching me.

"So what can I call you?" Of all the things he could be concerned about it's that, and then a thought occurred to me.

He wasn't going through this.

I was.

Something stabbed my chest. What was the feeling? Anger? Sadness? Then I realized it was envy. I glanced at him and saw he was waiting for me to reply.

I shrugged my shoulders aimlessly.

He laughed. I stared into his eyes, he was hiding something. And some depressing energy was emerging from him.

I shuddered at the ludicrous thought.

"So I can call you nobody?" I shrugged my shoulders not really caring about that, at the moment.  
"How 'bout I call you Gwendolyn?" Gwendolyn? So that meant I was a girl.

"I'm a girl?" He nodded curtly.

"I guess you can call me Gwendolyn, maybe Gwen for short…" My voice trailed off.

He grinned. "Gwen- I like it," I was waiting for my cheeks to light on fire, but there was nothing.

I sharp response blurted from me, and I was surprised momentarily.

"Why am I so… cold?" He sighed once more, staring at the grassy ground beneath him.

"I- you'll know what's going on soon enough?" It sounded more like a question than anything.

I could feel my eyes deepening into as glare.

"How about now?" I retorted. He sighed. He seemed to be doing that a lot.

Then I said quickly "Well, what could I call you?" He laughed his voice strong as if it was cutting through glass. He wiped a tear from his eye. I folded my arms. He stopped grinning.

"I suppose it's only fair." He paused for a moment as if waiting for something else. "I'm Arthur- you can call me Arty."

"Arty- I like it," I mimicked. He flashed a smile, but it disappeared as quick as it had come. Arthur put his hand to his mouth, his face thoughtful. Well? The rude voice said in my head. Isn't he going to say something? I shook the mean voice off. My body was still numb, but it was fading. Or maybe I was getting used to it. I still felt benumbed, though.

"It's complicated to explain. And it's also not, it depends on the person who's listening." I raised an eyebrow at his wisdom. He cracked a small grin at my calculating expression.

I then said, "what kind of riddle is that?" His eyes darkened.

"It means if you make this easy for me to explain it won't be too complicated and-" Arthur was cut off by the sound of horses. His eyes widened and he grabbed my wrist tightly. So tight that it would bruise. I winced and tried to recoil my wrist from his tightly, enclosed hand.

"Hey-" I protested as he pulled me into the woods. We pushed past thickets, I swatted the needle branches away, but they still cut my hand. When I glanced at my free hand, there were absolutely no cuts or blood at all. There was no evidence that I had ever felt any pain.

The horses sounded closer as he franticly yanked me along.

"THERE!" I heard a sinister voice yell. I looked up at the figure who was standing there. I let out a scream that was muffled by Arthur's cold hand.

It's eyes were a bright red, and it's skin was so pale and white it looked almost translucent, it had a long dark robe on covering his face so all you could see were his bloody, red eyes, that were vividly staring down upon you. He pulled me into the bush as I landed on my knees with a soft thud.

"What the hell's the matter with you?" He put his hand on my mouth, and put his fingers to his lips. Arthur trembled as the horses footsteps echoed along the trail.

"Where did they go?" A raspy voice said thoughtfully. I heard another voice reply, " I think we lost him, sire."

The voice sounded full of rage.

"There was someone else with him, a female." I heard the sound of feet hit the ground. And I shook with fear. Their shadowy figures were right next to us. Right above the dark, green bushes.

"YOU FOOL!" The voice hissed, as I heard a thump, it sounded as if the leader pushed the one to the ground.

"What did the girl look like?" He demanded, I heard the other one stand slowly. "Well- master-I'm not entirely sure. I think she had um- black or brown long curly hair, about the same age as him."

I wondered why they kept referring to Arthur as a 'him'. And why did they want me? I was just with him. And why did they want Arthur so badly? I stared at Arthur, his arms were wrapped around his knees, and his eyes were closed tightly.

He didn't look dangerous.

"Very well, find Arthur later…" His voice trailed off. "Find the female, she may be traveling with him. From this point on, she will be known as a fugitive."

A what? A fugitive? Arthurs a fugitive... the world was spinning around me and my head was throbbing uncontrollably. I waited for tears to come, but there was none, what so ever. The footsteps retreated and the sound of horses trotting off, slowly faded.

I couldn't tell you how I felt, my head was full of mixed emotions. Arthur slowly unwrapped his arms from his cramped up knees. I took a breath of relief but it felt… unnatural.

"Okay," I started quietly, slowly. "What the hell is going on!" He shook his head, and hesitantly took a step out from behind me, behind the bush.

His hand reached down, offering to help me up.

I sighed and said, "I can get myself up, thank you very much." Arthur just shrugged.

When I got up I snapped sharply, "you have a lot of explaining to do. Arty." I finished angrily. I could feel my glare coming.

"Not now." Did he just say not now? I clenched my fists, I had every right to know. Especially since what had just happened.

"Yes, now!" I stamped my foot. His eyes widened and his eyebrows raised. "Did you just- stamp your foot?" I looked down sheepishly, but then remembered how he wasn't telling me anything.

"Yeah- but that doesn't matter now!" Arthur rolled his eyes. "I told you not now." I bit my lip in anger, but it was icy cold.

"You know that's not fair."

"Isn't it?"

"No it's not!" I argued, his eyes darkened and he grabbed my wrist. I yanked it away.

And hissed, "I can walk." He glared at me, the one improper thing I've seen him do, ever since I met him. He began to walk away quickly and I followed behind right on his heels. He led me out of the woods and to the lake. When I saw it, I took a step back. My bottom lip began to tremble. Every inch in my body shook with fear, I frantically tried to remember why I was so scared, I remembered vaguely that I loved the lake.

He stared at me pity in his eyes.

"Look in the water and tell me what you see." I inched toward the lake but took a step back. Taking a deep breath I walked to the lake and peered over perching there. I gasped at the reflection in the lake. My eyes a deep blue and black curls bounding down my shoulders. But that's not why I gasped, my skin, it was pale and looked almost blue. I looked like a female version of Arthur.

"What do you see?" I jumped slightly not realizing that Arthur had approached me.

"I see myself." I lied simply.

He shook his head in disbelief. "Don't lie to yourself." I felt my bottom lip tremble and I collapsed on the ground.

"What did you do to me!" I cried putting my head in my hands. He plopped down next to me.

"I did nothing."

I raised my head from my hands. "Then what's wrong with me!" His eyes were full of guilt and pity.

He spoke slowly, his brown eyes averting from mine.

"You're dead."

Dead? Dead? I wanted to scream at him, throw all my problems in his face. But as i thought about his claim, I realized that it could be true. I could be dead. No, the other voice inside of me said. That's ridiculous! But what about how cold I was, and what about those creatures? Those could only be in fairytales, and what about the fact of how blue and almost translucent I was?

Surprisingly I didn't cry, not at all. I'm sure there was a horrified expression on my face, but I wasn't crying or sobbing my heart out. I wasn't in denial, I think It was because I had known all along.

"You're taking this well, better than I had expected you too." I took a breath and stood up. "So, let's say I am dead, is there like a rule book or something I have to follow?"

A mischievous grin spread out along his face. "Actually yes. But let's say I didn't follow the rules to well." I rolled my eyes, thinking about those things that were chasing us. "Sounds like you were in a load of trouble, when those things were chasing us."

Arthur sighed, "those things that were chasing us, they're called Demons."

"And what are Demons? I mean I know I've heard about them from somewhere..."

"Ghosts, except they were sent to the abyss from here. And before you ask, an abyss is a place of punishment, they burn your skin off, and all that remains of your body is a skeleton. That's why they were wearing their robes."

I shuddered, "thanks for that mental image, Arty."

He looked around as if someone was watching us, he cleared his throat. "I don't think this is the best place for us to chat, in fact you shouldn't even be with me... I don't know what I was thinking..." His voice trailed off, and the events of ten minutes ago played in my mind 'from now on she is known as a fugitive' what would they do to me, if they saw me again?

"Listen," Arthur said "I'm taking you to a friend he handles ghostlings well. (I didn't even bother asking what that was.) he'll explain everything. But I don't think I'll see you again, it's not safe for you to hang around me." I wanted to stay with him for some reason. Even though I had known him for less than an hour, I felt like I could trust him, like we had a bond. But I shivered at the thought of what the Demons would do to me.

So I just nodded.

"Come on, his house isn't too far from here, but we'll have to travel quickly. We walked for a while, in silence awkwardness filling the air. I didn't try and break the silence by speaking, mostly I thought. I thought and I thought. About everything, it seemed like. I thought about the Demons, and me dying and I was waiting for someone to jump out of the trees and yell,

"You just got PUNKED!" But sadly that didn't happen, and I wished immensely that it did. Finally we came to a small house, windows cracked the paint was peeling away and the roof seemed like it was precariously hanging onto the house.

But then I saw a small ranch, full of horses. My eyes widened in horror, and a lump in my throat blocked me from screaming and I was frozen in fear. There in front of me were creatures that resembled horses.

Only they weren't.

They had bright silver eyes that shone out like the moon. I couldn't tell their mood, they didn't seem to be happy, sad or frightened. But the thing that scared me most was instead of normal horses with flesh and blood and fur. These creatures had no flesh. They were skeleton horses and their bones gleamed.

I cried out, though it sounded choked. Arthur put a hand on my shoulder "relax, their my horses." Horses? Horses. Dead horses. Nothing unusual. I took a shaky breath.

"So anymore surprises I should know about?"  
He grinned "Probably." I rolled my eyes, and with that we walked up to the house.

His blue hands clenched into a fist, and for a moment I could see through his hand. I looked away quickly not sure I wanted to see a translucent hand. It was like a veil wrapped around him, you could see the shape of him and what he looked like, but at times you could barely see any of his features, just his outline.

Arthur tapped on the door hesitantly, as if thinking about it. Moments later the door opened and a bulky African American man stepped out, his shoulders were broad and he looked like he was in his mid fifties, but he was muscular still, with a light brown beard.

"Well, well hello 'there Arty what are you doing here?" His voice was friendly but firm. Arthur smiled

"I have a ghostling here, and I was wondering if you could..." The man held up his hand and stared at me with a big grin on his face.

"Say no more Arty, she'll be a staying with us." He winked at me "My wife's always wanted a daughter." A small smile crept on my lips. Maybe I could stay here, on the ranch with a new family. Still, a new family? How could I get back to my other family, oh that's right there alive and I'm dead. I swallowed back the lump in my throat.

Arthur cleared his throat, nervously. "See that's the problem Henry the Demons are after her-" The smile that was strung across Henry's face instantly vanished. "Arthur, you know we had a deal that one time, but I owe nothing to you anymore." Arthur nodded, his dark eyes serious. I wondered what deal they had made before, but judging by the way the man Henry had acted when Arthur had mentioned Demons, I highly doubt the deal was vindicated. But what else did I except from Arthur, who in the ten minutes I had met him had been chased down by...demons?

"I know that Henry, but couldn't this be more of a friendly gesture?" Henry scowled instantly and the kind, warm man I had met seemed to disappear completely. His eyes narrowed angrily, and his jaw set. "Listen here Arthur, I'm finished with your deals, I owe you nothing do you hear me?"  
"I know that but please just a few days, I'll be back in a day okay?" Henry's eyes flickered dangerously, but his expression told me that he was considering it. "Fine Arthur you got yourself a day, but as soon as it ends and you're not here, I'm handing her over to Esther." Esther. Esther was an old fashioned name, and sounded like someone's grandmother could have been named that, but the way he said it... it gave me chills that sent shivers down my spine.

"I'll be back in a day." Arthur retorted immediately. He glanced at me and he gave a curt nod, almost a silent promise that he would keep his word. "You better be." Henry replied coldly, with no emotion. I felt a small ounce of anxiety, what if he wasn't back and I would be thrown over to Esther? I blinked away the nervous tears that were coming, begging them not to cascade down my cheeks. It worked. Arthur began walking away, and I felt desperation take over me.

"Wait!" I cried out, rushing towards him. "Please be back." His eyes seemed to be calculating me, but there seemed to be another emotion his eyes that I couldn't quite place.

He stared at me awkwardly before answering. "I will be." Arthur walked a few steps forward than turned back at me. "I promise."

He gave me a sad smile, then he melted into the dark shadows formed by the trees.

**A/N:...End of Chapter One, read and leave a comment people! I know I made a few grammar mistakes... lol sorry I made this a year ago and only edited half of it. :) Posting chapter two soon!**


	2. All Aboard The Titanic

**Chapter Two:**

My eyes peeled open, and sunlight was pouring through the bedroom window, in long streaks of yellow, bathing my skin as I lay on my back. The last remains of my dream were beginning to disappear with my awakening. It was a nice dream, full of warmth and happiness. But it was fading as I slowly drifted back into consciousness. The bed was hard and stiff like a rock, but I hardly noticed because of the soft quilt that was tucked tightly around me , warming me slightly, but not enough to my standards and comfort. I let out a deep breath of air, as I sat up still half asleep. I yawned and managed to open my eyes, even though my body seemed to be protesting. My lips pulled into a from as I looked around me. Where was I?

"Good morning to you," A cheerful, childish voice said. Still disoriented, I flinched in surprise and turned my head quickly, to see a young girl sitting on the edge of my bed. "It took you long enough to wake up." She giggled, her brown eyes lighting up.

I half smiled back at her trying not to bombard her with questions and still half asleep I was still wondering if I was dreaming. The events of the day before rushing into my head. I winced instantly, and pulled the covers off me but I immediately longed for the warmth of the quilt. I forced back a shudder as I thought about getting handed back to Esther; I was beginning to believe that this was all real, but it didn't mean that I had to accept it.

I glanced back at the girl, her blonde hair was up in two messy braids that rested on her shoulders. Her face was pale and slightly blue like she was freezing, she looked to be around seven or eight, with her young petite face that was the slightest bit chubby. She had freckles sprinkled out on her cheeks lightly, but her most stand out thing was a lumpy, white lifejacket, like mine. Only it looked older, definitely not the time period that I had lived. (Whenever that was). It was also ten times her small form, making her look like a puffed out marshmallow.

"Uh, hi," I said not knowing quite how to respond yet. She smiled again, and her two front teeth were missing, which looked pretty adorable on her.

"Breakfast?" She held out a tray to me, that was filled with bread, with marmalade spread across the top. Also light yellow eggs were resting on the other side of the plate, with a cup of orange juice.

"We eat?" I muttered in puzzlement. Annie flicked her braid to the side of her shoulder and crawled up next to me.

"You don't have to," Annie said. "But it still tastes good, and gives most people consolation that they were once alive and living." I managed a weak smile and took a sip of orange juice, a memory of a bright round orange flashed through my head. It passed as quickly as it came. I bit into the toast, and Annie smiled at me with pure admiration.

I swallowed "What?" She shrugged her shoulder's sheepishly, a shy look on her face.

"Well, it's just that you have a life vest just like I do," I frowned sadly, not wanting to disappoint her. I knew we hadn't died together because of our contrasting life vests.

Mine was a bright orange, and only slightly poofy, while hers was a white and old-fashioned. Before I could burst her bubble, I was cut off.

"You talk in your sleep," she said all serious-like, her lips pulled into a straight line. "Who's Arthur?" If I still had blood flowing through me I probably would have blushed furiously, but because of that I felt no heat rushing to my cheeks. Maybe this dead thing has it perks. I almost smiled at the thought.

"Is he your boyfriend?" She questioned teasingly with a sly smile on her face, making her freckles dance.

"Of course not!" I replied hastily. I responded far too quickly and a knowing sly smile appeared on her face. I ignored her expression and then added, "Where am I?"

"Mr. McCall's, it's sort of like a foster home for dead people who's family's either went to heaven, or haven't perished." The little girl seemed a little too mature for her age.

"How old are you?"

"Exactly one hundred years old!" She said excitedly.

My eyes widened in shock, and my mouth dropped open I quickly closed it thinking it was rude. "Your one hundred?"

"Yep, died in 1912."

"How?" I blurted out, then quickly regretted asking such a foreword question, I figure she would start to bawl, or grow silent but she just replied: "Titanic, one of the greatest maiden ships ever built, such a shame that they ran into an iceberg."

My face paled, as a memory of a picture of a long, gigantic ship flashed in my head, and caused my head to throb uncontrollably. I remembered learning about it in... school? I knew that I had hated school.

Annie frowned, as she watched my expression. "Hey I'm sorry, I know ghostlings are still queasy about death and stuff." She said everything as casually as if asking what the weather was. I scowled mentally at her ability not to feel so... out of place in this world.

Then a pout spread out across her face. "You didn't die on the Titanic, did you?"

I smiled gently and patted her shoulder, "I'm afraid not." She sighed, then grabbed my plate and tray that was clear and strolled out of the room, still pouting. Annie returned to the room quickly, the empty tray missing from her hands.

"So what's this place called?" I asked, swallowing down my feelings, and shoving them into a mental suitcase.

"It's just a farmhouse, burned down in the 40's."

"No, not just where we are. I mean, this entire... dead world." Annie pursed her lips, and placed her hands over her life preserver, as her brown, liquid eyes darkening.

"Hell," a male voice said from the doorway.

My heart leapt with hope.

Maybe it was Arthur! My eyes furrowed at the thought of how excited I would be if it would be Arthur. All I cared about was that he would come back, to make sure that I was thrown over to this still-mysterious person Esther. All I cared about was that my life was in danger... right?

Yes, I decided it was.

I glanced towards the doorway in surprise, and a tall, broad-shouldered, African American, stood in what I wished was Arthur's place.

His brown hair was short on the top of his head, unlike Arthur's. He had bright grey-blue eyes, that reminded me of the sea, not the crystal clear image like a chlorinated pool, like when you go underwater and all you can see is an inch in front of you. Which is exactly what he looked like, like he never let anyone see the real him; who he really is.

Always guarded and locked so you couldn't even see an inch into the real him. I cleared my mind what business of me was it to guess about who he was? I instantly became suspicious, who exactly was he?

"Who are you?" I asked, my eyes narrowing in suspicion. He stared at Annie with a questioning look on his face, and his eyes said what his mouth couldn't. Annie mouthed back _'Ghostling.' _I honestly was quite sick of people calling me that.

"Ah, a ghostling." He said to Annie, then turned back to me. "And shit, there's no need to be so hostile." Hot anger rippled through me. Do all the boys in this place have such a sky high ego? Annie stood up and shoved him angrily, but I could tell she was amused, considering that a grin was pulled out across her face.

"Don't be a jerk, it's only her second day. Don't you remember how much worse that I was?" He held back a laugh.

"Yeah, you were diffidently worse." Que another shove, but didn't do much to the boy who looked eighteen, compared to the girl who looked like a eight year old. I almost chuckled how it looked, with Annie's small hands pushing him back, him not even staggering the slightest. I stood up from the bed, and looked at my surroundings. A brightly lit room, willed with the sunlight, with the walls made of logs and furniture that looked fragile and old.

"You didn't answer my question," I said impatiently, my eyes on his. Then my eyes widened, his shirt had a large hole, with dried out crusty blood along the outer rim. A gunshot. I tried to keep the horror out of my expression, but I let my emotions get in the way, and gasped and staggered backward my eyes fixated on the gruesome hole.

He stared at me, a puzzled look on his face. He glanced at Annie, concern scrawled out across his face. I gripped the chair in front of me, my stomach turning to nausea. Unfortunately it was a rocking chair, and my hands slipped and I fell to the floor, making the floor vibrate. Then my eyes began to twitch uncontrollably and my breathing became ragged and uncontrollable, like my breath was running out.

"Mindy?" Annie cried out, her voice sounded far away like fog was surrounding her. When I glanced up at her, I screamed. Her face, it was wrinkled like a prune, and saggy. Her cute little liquid brown eyes, had disappeared and all that remained was two large red filled holes. I shut my eyes tightly, in fear. And slowly I felt myself drifting, into another place. Another time.

Another world.

_There was a sweet noise that rang through the air, gentle and smooth, almost like honey dispatching from its containing and smoothening itself onto a hard surface. It's the sound violins, violas, bass. Three men playing, fear glistening in there hopeless eyes, yet there's stings of happiness within them, because they get to do what they love before they pass away. There's also a sickening chill to the air, cries of people, screams, hopelessness is everywhere and everything- especially for third class citizens. The boat is tipping, more forcefully than last time when the R.M.S Titanic had hit the queen of all icebergs. The queen of coldness, of death, the queen of ice, the force of God. _

_There are some people speaking from Bibles, there hope gone, almost like butterflies flowing away in the wind. Adults are crying, screaming, sobbing for their loved ones or if they know they're going to die. _

_A little girl is tugging away from her mother's firm grip. A girl with blonde hair tied into two braids, and dark brown eyes. Freckles are sprinkled across her cheeks, and her life preserver makes her look like a swelled up marshmallow._

_"Annie," I all but whisper. _

_"I'm not leaving dad!" She protested, flinging her arms about, trying to dodge everyone's grip on her. "Leave me ALONE!" She pulls away, twisting and prying out. Her mother lets out a frantic sob, screaming and shrieking for someone to grab her. She tries to throw herself out, but it's too late. The worker calls the word and the men begin to lower the lifeboat- the sobbing mother inside. I watch as the other women on the boat try and console her, but it's not enough, is it?_

_"Miss?" Someone taps on my shoulder. "You best be getting into a lifeboat." Puzzled, I turn around. A man in his mid fifties lights a pipe, and rubs my shoulders. "You're freezing, lassie. You should get on the lifeboat. I'm sure they have blankets." _

_I stare at him, my mouth falling open, so that it's stringing half ajar. "What?"_

_"Get in a lifeboat. Soon, all of them will be gone." I nod, as he walks away, unable to process this._

_Annie- where was she? Panic settles in as I glance around. _

_Where was she? _

_I wasn't sure how I got here, but now that I was here, I would try and save the little, innocent girl._

_If it's the last thing I do._


End file.
